


What Peace Leads To

by Raddd (RaddRebel)



Category: Naruto
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Falling In Love, Fluff, Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Pining, Requited Love, anbu Lee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-09
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-02-28 20:10:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18763345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RaddRebel/pseuds/Raddd
Summary: Rock Lee was the first person to ever get past Gaara’s protective sand defenses, and his determination not only cracked Gaara’s sand armor, but also smashed straight into his heart. After the Fourth Shinobi War comes to an end, can the Kazekage find the courage to confess his love?





	1. Overdue Confession

Love was a very strange thing. And it was something Gaara had never thought he would actually get to experience himself in this lifetime. At a young age he had gone through so much trauma, and continued on a path of destruction, with long sleepless nights and a demon scratching at the confines of his brain. Shukaku had been his only friend and his worst enemy as he grew up, unable to sleep for fear of the biju taking over his body and ripping his village to shreds. When he was sent to the Chunin exams, the first person to ever get past his sands defenses, was Rock Lee. The green clad shinobi was a strange ninja, apparently his only talent lay in Taijutsu. When he took his weights off, and they crashed to the earth, Gaara’s facial expression behind his sand armor was anything but calm. 

This Konoha genin had dared to get past his defenses and try to crush his sand armor?! No one had ever gotten past his protective sand barrier, and it both excited Gaara and boiled his blood. The demon inside of him thrashed and scratched at the walls of his psyche, begging for the blood of the one who had dared to try and hurt him. Gaara was actually having to use a load of chakra he wasn’t used to using. The look of sheer determination under Rock Lee’s bowl cut was seared into his mind that day. Even though Gaara technically won that fight, he never actually counted it as a win that day. 

After Gaara’s tailed beast was ripped from his body by the Akatsuki, he died. He found the after life to be inviting. All the pain and suffering he had endured in his life, was finally gone, and nothing mattered anymore. Except one thing felt off. Despite changing himself, and gaining the love of his siblings and people, he had never been able to give his heart to the one person he attributed a lot of his personal growth to. A certain quirky, very energetic ninja of Konoha. Something about “youth” and the “springtime of love” popped into his mind and then suddenly he was waking up, staring up at his Konoha friends, with Lady Chiyo’s unmoving body next to him.

After his resurrection, Gaara had a lot of adjusting to do. He was no longer a jinchuriki and he didn’t really know how to feel about that. He was suddenly free of the suffocating feeling shukaku had always given him, wrapped tightly around his heart and lungs, invading his mind. He was technically able to sleep like a normal person now, but almost 17 years of not sleeping could really mess a guy up. If he took a medicine brewed by his village healers, he could get a few hours of sleep each night. And in those precious hours of sleep, he would find himself transported back to the darkness of his death. During his waking hours, he could not really remember what had been on the other side, but every time he slept, he could recall, and he would remember the warmth of his hearts affection.

When the fourth great ninja war broke out, Gaara was one of the strongest advocates for peace between all villages. He worked hand in hand with Konoha, for the better of all shinobi. As he worked towards peace, and fought for the lives of every ninja around him, he would catch glimpses of green and orange every once in a while. He wanted to find a reason to confront the Taijutsu master, but he had no idea how to. After the chunin exams, he had already made amends to everyone he had wronged. He had apologized to the ninja who had first gotten past his defenses, and pummeled his way into Gaara’s heart. The redhead had been overjoyed when he found out that Lee had recovered, and that his spirit had not been broken. Opening the inner gates had not permanently hurt the boys chakra system like Lady Tsunade had originally thought.

As the war raged on, Gaara kept his feelings in check. No one could afford distractions, especially when so many beloved ninja had fallen, and their deaths had shaken the resolve of many others. Gaara mourned for Neji, as much as he could for only knowing him from a distance, and how he had played a part in bringing Gaara’s body back to Suna for him to ultimately be resurrected. He knew that it had devastated many Konoha ninja, and Rock Lee was one of the individuals most affected. If he could have gone to the young man, to console him and weep with him, Gaara knew he would have. But his duty came first, love would hopefully have a chance later.

The war opened his eyes to many things, one being that the protective sand he had possessed his entire life, was infused with his mother’s chakra, and his mother had always loved him. His sand had manifested itself in the likeness of his mother, holding him and gazing down at him in such a loving manner. The idea of having always been loved by his mother, nearly broke him, but he pushed through, and was able to continue his fight in the war. When it finally came to an end, Gaara was surprised he had lived through everything. He had made more friends than he could count, and he had watched more shinobi die than he could have ever imagined. He was able to say goodbye to Shukaku, and thank him for playing a part in Gaara making his way to Konoha, to all the ninja that had changed his life for the better.

The months following the war, were spent recovering and signing more peace treaties between all villages that would serve to protect the future of ninja everywhere. Gaara received an invitation from Konoha to attend one of his best friends weddings, the future hokage and hero of the war, Naruto. Gaara couldn’t help a smile forming on his lips, as he knew this day was coming. He had been communicating with Naruto via scrolls for a long time now, and knew that the blondes love for Hinata had grown exponentially since the war. Gaara brought his hand up to his chest, feeling his heart clench as if a fist were around it. Maybe it was finally his turn to let his own love flourish. 

When the wedding came around, Gaara had psyched himself up. He didn’t want to waste anymore time, anymore of his life that he was lucky to have. If he remembered what Rock Lee’s Sensei had said, he was in the springtime of his youth, and he shouldn’t hold himself back from love. There was a possibility that the black haired ninja wouldn’t accept his feelings, but the Kazekage was willing to take that risk. He was done sitting at his desk brooding, he was done reliving the time he was dead in his sleep. That dream had replayed so many times, that he had been able to piece together what had happened, and he wouldn’t let his first deaths revelation be in vain. He had confided in his two siblings about his feelings, and after some good natured teasing, they both gave their support. And Kankurō might have threatened to tell Lee if Gaara didn’t do it himself. All three siblings agreed that Gaara had kept his feelings to himself for far too long.

“Are you nervous?” Temari asked out of the blue, as they were each splitting up to find their respective rooms in Konoha for the duration of the wedding. The blue eyed Kazekage turned and looked at his elder sister, a faint smile creasing his lips.

“Are you?” He asked back, giving her a knowing smile as he referenced the budding romance between her and the Rokudaimes assistant. He loved watching her cheeks color when he brought up the shadow clans heir, and listened to her sputter at him answering her question with another question. “Of course we are both nervous. But I hope that things will turn out favorably for both of us.” He said, not giving her a chance to get mad or spontaneously combust with thoughts of Shikamaru. He threw a wave over his shoulder at his sister, and then retired to his rooms. He had already spoken with Naruto, and met with the sixth hokage, Kakashi. They both knew of his intentions to tell Rock Lee about the feelings buried in his heart, and he had received both of their blessings.

After a few days of resting in Konoha and visiting with the bride and groom, the big day was upon them. Many ninja had come from far and wide. Only a few were notably missing, and it was understandable. The happy couple was wed, and there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience. This was a great day for Konoha, and all shinobi all over the land. The Hero who had saved the world was wed to his beautiful bride, and smiling so widely that Gaara thought the blondes face would split. The redhead had avoided the object of his affection throughout their arrival, and avoided looking for him during the ceremony. He caught Naruto eyeing him from across the room, with a questioning look as the festivities wound down. Now that he had experienced his day with Hinata, he wanted to see his long time friend happy as well. Gaara tilted his head to Naruto, and was pretty sure he caught a twinkle in Hinata’s lavender eyes before he turned away.

Gaara picked up a couple of beverages from a nearby table, and started wading through the crowd of ninja and special guests. He could hear the infectious laughter of his target, behind a group of vaguely familiar dignitaries. When he rounded the group, his eyes finally laid upon Konoha’s Beautiful Green Beast. He felt his breath catch in his chest, and found himself hesitating for the first time since he had made his decision to lay his feelings bare. Lee’s eyes twinkled as they almost always did, filled with warmth and happiness, and his glossy hair swayed in the breeze, slightly sticking to his forehead after the long day. His perfect teeth gleamed as he spoke animatedly to his only remaining teammate. 

Gaara was about to abandon his mission, cave under the stress of facing something he had put off for so long, but he felt two hands push against his back, propelling him toward the man in green. Glancing over his shoulder in a bit of a panic, he found both of his siblings grinning, his elder sister in a supportive manner, and his elder brother in a more mischievous way, making Gaara remember what Kankurō had said back at the their own village. Having them both their as support gave him courage, and he walked on unsteady feet towards the taijutsu master. Ten-Ten quieted down as the Kazekage approached, which alerted Rock Lee of his presence. The smile he received was even better than the one he had been sporting a moment before.

“Uhm...might I speak with you, Lee-San? Alone?” He offered the extra drink in his hand to the green clad man in front of him, and smiled apologetically to the women next to them. Ten-Ten just grinned and bowed before taking her leave. He wondered if she had caught onto him already, some of that woman’s intuition or something. When she was gone he found himself staring into the round, determined eyes of the young man in front of him, and all of their encounters flashed through his head. Lee looked questioningly at him, and took a drink to help fill the awkward pause between them.

“I...I have wanted to talk with you for a long time now. To thank you for coming on that mission to extract me from the Akatsuki, and for what you did during the war.” He started, his voice shaking as he attempted to keep himself together. He had thought about this conversation for a long time, and he really wanted to get it right. He felt as if he only had this one chance. Lee’s eyes were locked on him as he talked, giving him his full attention. Gaara was startled when the black haired man reached out and grasped his shoulder.

“Do not feel like you have to thank me, Gaara-San! I was just doing my duty, and saving a comrade. You would have done the same for me if our roles had been reversed. And as for fighting in the war, you saved all of us countless times more than anything I did. But I truly appreciate your gratitude and friendship!” Gaara could feel the tension in his body lessening as the other ninja spoke, the cadence of his voice soothing him. He felt his own face fully relax and relished the warmth and tenderness he felt from Lee’s grip on his shoulder. He took a deep breath and raised his hand across his own chest to lay over the top of Lee’s, gripping it with all the tenderness he could muster.

“I came over to talk to you about something else though, something that I should have spoken about a long time ago.” He watched as Lee cocked his head quizzically, not removing his hand from under Gaara’s, and almost seeming to tighten his grip just a bit. The redhead licked his lips and continued on with his confession, slowly pouring out his heart. “I noticed not long after the chunin exams, that I could not stop thinking about you. We fought, and you would have beaten me, if I was not a vessel for the biju. Your determination, and sheer devotion to being a shinobi is admirable. In my heart, I had to admit to myself that I had begun to...feel things for you.” He watched as Lee’s expression softened a bit, and a pink tinge came to his cheeks just under his round eyes.

“When I died, I was at peace, but for only one thing. I could hear your Sensei in the darkness, talking about love and the springtime of youth, just before I was resurrected. And I have harbored this love, protecting it and hoping that this day of peace would come, so that I could tell you. And maybe…” he kept his eyes on the man he loved in front of him, wanting to see every little reaction. He thought he was starting to see the beginnings of tears gathering in Lee’s eyes. They were sparkling underneath the low lights. 

“And maybe you might accept my love, and see where it might take us.” Gaara finished, feeling a lightness in his chest, and difficulty breathing, as if his rib cage was filling up with cotton. He couldn’t help a devastated feeling wash over him, as Lee pulled his hand away from where it was vaguely trapped underneath Gaara’s, leaving him cold. But that devastation was quickly wiped away as the taijutsu master laid that same hand against Gaara’s cheek. Lee’s eyes had indeed started filling with tears, and the Kazekage let out a harsh breath he had been holding.

“Thank you for telling me, Gaara-San. And though I did not have a clue as to how you felt, I have to admit that I have had similar thoughts of you in the past. If I am honest, I did not let my heart dwell over those feelings, because I did not believe that I would have a chance with such an amazing Kazekage.” Lee’s other hand came up to cup his other pale cheek, and he felt his mind and heart stutter all at once. Lee was also confessing? He had been harboring similar feelings, but did not think he was worthy of Gaara? 

“Am I dreaming again?” Gaara asked out loud, not really knowing he was talking aloud. This caused Lee to laugh, and for his shoulders to shake at Gaara’s comment. The black haired ninja stepped forward, a little bit more into Gaara’s space, and placed a chaste kiss on the redheads chapped lips. 

“If you are dreaming, I hope you wake up soon, so that I can kiss you again in real life.”


	2. Assassination attempts and Proposals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee would do anything to be close to the man he loved, including joining he Anbu organization just to spend a few extra days with his love. Even if the man didn’t know he was standing right next to him.

No one would ever know it was him under the mask. As long as he kept his mouth shut. He had been in anbu for a few years now, and realized that the only way to protect his true identity, was to just keep his mouth shut. He could keep his head in the game, he could perform his duties for his village easily, as long as he never spoke a word from his damning voice. He could recognize a knowing glint in other shinobi’s eyes when his characteristic voice emanated from behind his mask, and luckily, it had only happened with a few trusted ninja. 

Today, he was guarding the Nanadaime, Naruto to be exact. The blond war hero looked worse for wear, his eyes had dark bags under them, and the anbu was sure that he hadn’t seen the hokage take a food break for the last 24 hours. Hinata-Sama would surely be showing up soon to scold her husband, and then leave a homemade meal for him to devour and get back to work. The Anbu straightened more in the shadows, as one of Sai’s ink birds flew in through an open window, and puffed into a scroll on Naruto’s desk. The weary blond picked up the scroll and slit it open, his eyes scanning over the words quickly before performing a small destruction jutsu on the scroll and then casting his eyes directly onto his Anbu guard.

“We are traveling to Suna tomorrow, Badger you will be accompanying me. We need to be fast.” He was honestly still getting used to his code name. He did a lot of missions alone, and had a reputation of being quiet, so no one really addressed him with it. He stepped out of the shadows and bowed to his Hokage, always ready to support the blond. He had followed him into war, and he would always do his best to protect Naruto’s back if ever he found himself vulnerable. In the Anbu, he was no longer holding himself back. He was fast, and he was always efficient. He had had a few years to mold his persona behind the mask, into a silent, methodical weapon for his village. 

Naruto nodded his head and looked back to his paperwork. He started to really dig deep into the stack he was working on, apparently resolved to finish it. When the last page was read and signed, the vessel for Kurama stood up and stretched his spine. “I’m going home for the night. We leave at first light. Badger switch shifts with Dog and get some rest.” The Anbu nodded in acknowledgment and waited for his leader to flicker away, before he left himself. When he was safely in the confines of his home, he pulled his mask off and let himself take a breath. The straight fringe across his brow was a little sweaty, so he brushed it away from sticking to his brow, and finally let a smile grace his lips.

If they were going to Suna, that meant he would see Gaara. One of the biggest reasons he had joined the Anbu in the first place. He brought his gloved hand up to touch his lips and grinned a little wider. The last time he had seen the Kazekage when he wasn’t under the mask for Anbu, Gaara had grabbed him by his flak jacket and kissed him against a wall. The red heads confidence had skyrocketed since his confession at Naruto’s wedding. 

Now there was the potential that he would run into Gaara again while he and Naruto were in Suna. In fact it was almost 100%. He could continue this game of trying to keep his identity hidden for a little longer. There were only a few times that he had ran into the Kazekage in his Anbu uniform, and he wondered if Gaara had begun to suspect anything. They had fought each other multiple times after all in the past, and his speed and taijutsu techniques would give him away eventually. He wasn’t sure when it had become a game for him honestly, but he was naturally under orders to protect his identity for as long as possible, even from the man he was in love with. He could only hope that eventually, Gaara might figure things out. 

The next morning he was early to the designated meeting space with the 7th hokage. He checked the perimeter, and nodded once to another Anbu who was surely tasked with guarding the perimeter for their leader. Soon Naruto arrived, stretching his arms over his head and yawning loudly. He scrubbed his hands through his blond bed head and cracked a big grin to his Anbu guard. He clapped his hand over Badgers shoulder and spurred them both forward.

“Let’s be on our way. We have a meeting at the end of the day, with the Kazekage.” Badger nodded his head and felt his heart beat pick up at the confirmation of seeing the man who held his affection. Naruto grinned as if he knew exactly what was going on underneath the green and white badger mask. They passed through the gates of Konoha, and ran unnaturally fast, their legs enhanced with chakra. By midday they stopped for a lunch break, caught their breath and wiped sweat off of their bodies. The Anbu found himself shoving his cloak into his belt pouch, trying not to sweat to death in the desert they ran through. 

He watched Naruto’s back and kept himself on high alert, despite wanting to dwell on their meeting with the Kazekage. With his cloak off, nothing really stood out on his body except for his characteristic black hair on the back of his head. He wasn’t sure that that would really be a clue for the other man. But he could also be underestimating the extent of Gaara’s feelings and obsession for when he gazed upon the Konoha ninja. Suddenly Badger was getting self conscious of the line of his hair cut at the nape of his neck. What if it gave him away completely? It wasn’t like he could stare at the back of his own head constantly to memorize how it looked. He could tell he was sweating more from nerves.

“We are almost there. When we arrive, we will go straight to the meeting room. I slept in, so we are cutting it a little close.” Naruto grinned, his perfect smile glinting from the setting sun. Badger tried not to sigh in exasperation as he realized the Hokage had purposefully let himself sleep in, setting their meeting time specifically around his sleep schedule. He shrugged, deciding that it was better that his hokage was more rested, and also emotionally stable from getting to spend time with his family. 

They arrived just as the sun disappeared behind the sand dunes. Badger tensed, his body ready to fight when a couple Suna Anbu started flanking them. One flashed a hand sign for peace, and then took point, leading the Konoha ninja towards the meeting place. Badger was able to loosen his coiled muscles as they entered the village and were brought to the top of the Kazekage’s tower. Naruto had a dumb grin on his face, rubbing the back of his head like he normally did when he was about to be scolded. He raised his bandaged wrapped arm, the one Tsunade had fashioned him out of Hashirama’s cells and waved to Gaara as the red head turned around to greet them. The Kazekage’s lips were in a thin, exasperated line.

“Naruto. You took your sweet time.” Gaara didn’t get mad, he had so much more control and peace in him since the tailed beast had been extracted from him. And the black around his eyes had lessened just a little, showing that he had begun to sleep like a normal human finally. “Well, I’m glad you’re here now. We have things to discuss.” He gestured for Naruto to sit down on the other side of his desk, and poured him some tea. Naruto smiled more genuinely, and took the seat offered to him.

“So, I’m going to get down to it. We have peace between our two villages, Shikamaru and Temari’s marriage has very much brought our villages together, and strengthened us. No one wants to question our loyalties or our motivations in either village. But whispers have been heard.” Naruto sat forward as he sipped his tea, his eyes narrowing slightly. Gaara fidgeted a bit, a sigh escaping his pale lips and his blue eyes flicking from here to there. 

“A few elders have been complaining about my unmarried status, and the fact that I haven’t produced an heir yet. And that Temari is the only one who has had a child, so technically if I died, she would be next in line for Kazekage until Shikadai is old enough for the title.” Gaara lifted a hand and started chewing on his finger nails, the sand around them hovering just above, allowing him to chew at the skin of his fingers. Badger had the insane urge to reach out and smack at his loves hand, to stop him from hurting his precious skin.

“What aren’t you telling me? Because your elders muttering isn’t enough just to call me from Fire.” Naruto cocked his head, his mind turning over all the words his counterpart had said so far, trying to see under the underneath. Gaara’s eyes settled on Naruto’s and he hunched his shoulders, letting out a huff of air.

“You’re right. They weren’t just whispering, because a few nights ago, a few of my most trusted Anbu were taken out by an assassin. They were taken off guard because the assassin was also one of my most trusted Anbu. So I called you, because I can’t trust anyone but my siblings right now.” Gaara looked unsettled, more than he had ever been before. Badger understood, because there had been so many years that the sand village had loved their Kazekage. Why would they suddenly turn against him now? He was a war hero for Kami’s sake. Naruto sighed and rubbed his forehead with his original arm. He pressed his fingers into the grain of the wood desk and tilted his head back.

“Were you injured? If your Anbu were taken out, who stopped this other Anbu?” Gaara paled at the question, the blood draining from his face a little bit. He didn’t want Naruto to ask that question. But the Hokage was not a stupid man, despite the many years people said he was. After a moment he let his sand barrier drop for a moment, revealing both of his arms bandaged, and a cut along his brow, just below his love tattoo.

“I was sleeping, and caught off guard. Snake slipped into my room, and had enough time to use a few jutsu before one of my severely injured Anbu crashed through the door and alerted me. My sand was sluggish, and allowed for some toxins to pour on my arms before it cleansed it away. After I woke, I was able to put Snake into a sand coffin, but he hit me with a kunai before I felled him.” Gaara raised a shaking hand to his forehead, gently rubbing at the healing wound above his eye. Badger couldn’t help but twitch in the shadows where he still stood, taking in everything the Kazekage said, and wanting to kiss the wounds the other had sustained. He hadn’t seen Gaara hurt at all since the war, and even then it was only mildly and due to fatigue and chakra depletion. He tried to keep his mind off of the time he had witnessed Gaara’s dead body.

Naruto glanced over his shoulder and looked at the spot he knew Badger was standing. He nodded his head, gesturing for the Anbu to step out of the shadows and stand behind Naruto’s shoulder. Badger stood still, his body straight and waiting for whatever orders he was to be given, but he also observed Gaara in his new position, able to really see the weariness in the others bones.

“I told my elders I wouldn’t marry, because I was courting another. They didn’t like that the union wouldn’t produce a natural heir, and I may have pissed one of them off by refusing any political marriages.” Gaara continued talking, unaware that he was making Badgers heart stutter and hang on every word that rasped passed his lips. Naruto smiled despite the grave details of a traitor in Suna’s midst. “I would rather adopt, or have one of our scientists figure out a way for us to reproduce. A surrogate even. Though..we haven’t exactly gotten to speak on children, or even marriage.” Gaara’s blue eyes looked into Naruto’s, but his faces looked a bit questioning as he watched the Anbu behind him twitch again. Normally Anbu were pretty disciplined, and kept small movements to a minimum. A twitchy Anbu was going to make Gaara nervous, due to his recent experiences.

“Well I’m sure Lee would love it if you sat down to have that conversation with him. And maybe if you two saw each other more than a handful of times a year, your relationship could progress passed just courting.” Gaara blushed and watched as the anbu’s head snapped to the side to look directly at the Hokage. The red head saw how glossy the other ninjas black hair was, and he couldn’t put his finger on what was familiar about the neckline of the bodyguard. Naruto chuckled and stood up, scraping his chair backwards and turning to exit the room for a while. Before he left, he stopped the Anbu from following, clapping him on the shoulder and squeezing. 

“Why don’t you go ahead and guard Gaara-Sama for a while, Badger-San? I think he could use the extra company, while I go get cleaned up and rest from the journey.” Badger blinked behind his mask, and then turned to look back at Gaara, seeing the questioning look the red haired man was giving both of them. 

“H-Hokage-Sama...Are you sure?” Badger tried to keep his voice down, though he knew if Gaara heard him at all, his cover would definitely be blown. But that seemed like the Hokage’s goal from the start. Naruto leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Badgers Anbu mask, before spinning the other man and shoving him back into the room. The door shut behind him with a small click, and the Anbu found himself staring back at the weary Kazekage. Gaara’s eyes had narrowed, but he seemed to have relaxed a bit with seeing Naruto’s affectionate actions to the guard. He trusted Naruto, and knew that the man wouldn’t leave him with someone who would cause him harm.

The Anbu slowly walked forward, keeping his movements steady, and hopefully not giving anything away in his usual stance. He didn’t want to relax too much, because that might give him away sooner than he wanted. Badger gripped the back of the chair Naruto had just vacated, and slowly sat down, where warmth from the Hokage still lingered. They stared at each other from across the desk for a few moments, before Gaara relaxed minutely, and cocked his head.

“Naruto brings you with him every time he visits now. So he must trust you quite a lot. Badger, was it?” Gaara picked up an extra tea cup that was laying face down on the desk, flipping it and pouring the Anbu some tea. The red head searched through his memories and knew that he had never heard a word spoken from this Anbu before, and he wondered if there was a reason for that. Badger nodded his head, but hesitated to pick up the teacup that was offered to him. After a moment, and a pinched look on the Kazekage’s face, he picked it up. He held his breath as he chose to push his mask up his face, revealing only his mouth, instead of pushing it to the side, to show half of his face. He took a sip from the cup, and grit his teeth together as he tried to figure out how to thank the Kazekage for his hospitality.

Gaara watched the other take a drink, and studied the mouth that was revealed. Had he fought with this shinobi in the war? Did he know him well, or had they never crossed each other’s paths. He narrowed his eyes as the Anbu finished off the cup, and then slid his mask back into place. Gaara wanted to hear his voice, he wanted to find out who this person was, and if he could let his guard down. He was very tired, and needed to know if he had another ally he could rely on. Why had Naruto left this mute Anbu with him?

“So, Badger, who are you, and why should I trust you?” He decided to be direct, and knew that he would leave the room immediately if the Anbu didn’t give him a satisfying answer. He watched the Anbu shift in the chair, and itched to use his sand to pin the restless man down. It was making Gaara even more on edge. What did this Anbu have to be nervous for? He heard a sigh come from under the anbu mask, and blinked in confusion. 

“So, you want to get married? And have kids together?” It felt like the air in the room had frozen, like time had stopped for both of them. That voice...that voice only belonged to one person. Gaara’s eyes prickled and he felt a sting in them he wasn’t sure he could stifle. He stood up from the desk, and let his sand do what he had wanted to do a minute before. Badger was fast, but not fast enough to avoid the sand wrapping around his ankles, torso, and wrists, holding him in place. The Kazekage wiped at his eyes and walked around the desk, seeming to tower over the Anbu whose identity was about to be realized. He lifted a shaky hand and gently swept the Badger mask aside, to reveal dark eyes, and nervously pursed lips. 

“Lee…?” Gaara breathed out, confusion and disbelief in his voice. Suddenly he flashed back to all the times he had worked beside Badger the Anbu. How much the other had twitched in his presence, even if it seemed slight then, it was significant now. The love of his life had been an arms length away multiple times over the last few years since Naruto’s wedding. Gaara had thought Naruto had just gotten a fondness for a new Anbu, but it was clear now that Naruto had been facilitating meetings between them, without Gaara even realizing it. He found himself reaching out to touch Lee’s cheek, and sighing at the contact. Lee’s cheeks were always so soft, and usually covered in a blush.

“What have you been doing all this time without telling me, love?” Lee flushed, from his cheeks, down his neck and into his Anbu uniform. He bit his lip and shrugged his shoulders a bit, having a hard time coming up with the right words. He took a deep breath and felt the sand holding him down, loosen up a bit.

“I worked hard, and joined Anbu, so I could give back to the village, but mostly so that I had a reason to come see you more. I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. But I literally had orders not to, until Naruto just gave me the green light, right in front of you.” He flicked his eyes up to Gaara’s blue ones and tugged at his bound wrists, wanting to hold the other man. Gaara’s injuries were still fresh in his mind, and he just wanted to care for his beloved, now that he was allowed to. To his relief, Gaara’s sand melted down the chair and released his hands. The moment that happened, he found himself with a lap full of Kazekage. His eyes widened as Gaara’s hands knocked his Anbu mask to the floor, and delved deeply into his hair, bringing their foreheads flushed together.

“I’ve missed you, so much, Lee.” Lee’s heart slammed to a stop in his chest as Gaara’s lips melded to his, and their bodies pressed together as if they could become one entity. Their kiss was sweet, full of love, and intense in a soft sort of way. After a moment, Lee could feel little warm droplets falling on his cheeks, brushing past his own lashes, yet he knew he wasn’t crying himself. When he opened his eyes, Gaara’s own watery eyes were looking at him, trying to soak in his whole appearance, and believe that Lee was actually underneath him. His body was starting to shake, and Lee couldn’t have that. The taijutsu master raised his arms around the other man’s shoulders and held him together. He kissed the tears off the others pale cheeks and murmured gently.

“We will figure out who is plotting against you. And we will give them a reason to stop whispering. If you’ll have me, I’ll marry you, and gladly be the Kazekage’s spouse. And when you want children, we can adopt, have a surrogate, or use some sort of crazy scientific jutsu that joins our DNA. I don’t care what we do, as long as you are safe, and we can be together.” Lee was slipping back into his normal personality, he was gaining confidence, and the faith that he didn’t normally let slip past his anbu mask. He rubbed at Gaara’s back, and then lifted the others arms up to kiss them one by one, knowing that the bandages and injuries still laid underneath Gaara’s sand armor. He smoothed Gaara’s hair off his brow, and gently kissed where the kunai had struck a few nights before.

“I love you Kazekage-Sama, and with your permission and my Hokage’s, I’ll protect you with my life, and give you my heart and body.” Gaara’s eyes were still watery, but he took a deep breath and slowly nodded his head. He guessed this was the conversation he had been putting off for a while, probably because he was nervous and maybe a bit of a coward in the face of love. It had only taken him 13 years to actually tell Lee he was in love with him? He relaxed against the Konoha shinobi’s chest, trying to re-memorize the others heartbeat, and the feeling of his body against Gaara’s own.

“I guess if that’s your proposal, I will say yes.” Gaara brushed a gentle kiss underneath Lee’s jaw, and let all of the tension escape his limbs as he melted against Lee’s Anbu uniform. Lee felt a goofy smile take over his face, and a warmth blossom in his chest. He held Gaara close to his body, and let out a long, gentle sigh. If marrying Gaara was his prize for joining Anbu and hiding his identity for years, he would never be able to regret that decision for his whole life. 

“As you wish, Kazekage-Sama.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to put in my idea for Anbu Lee in the first chapter, but it just didn’t work out that way. So today I sat down and pushed through my writers block to write this sequel out. I hope you enjoyed reading it <3

**Author's Note:**

> I enjoy writing different pairings, and gettin the feel for new characters, so I asked my husband for a pairing he wanted me to write. He gave me Gaara/Lee and i have to say it was pretty difficult for me. But I pushed through and I think I got something that people might enjoy. I did a lot of research into the characters for this one, because they are not characters that I directly relate to. I hope that I was able to capture their personalities, and that you enjoyed reading! Comments and kudos are loved and appreciated! <3


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